Please Stop The Pope

The quest was successfully completed, and the situation was quite neatly concluded, as you could tell.

Kim Guncheol knew much more than I had thought.

From the addictiveness of the Elixir of Awakening to the place where the Elixir of Awakening was being produced, and even the government officials who were involved with them.

Hearing such stories that you would only hear in movies or dramas in person was quite a novel experience.

That doesn’t mean I was greatly surprised, though.

Even in Eden, which had a much simpler social structure compared to Earth, there were nobles and royals who colluded with criminal organizations taking advantage of the chaos.

How would Earth, which is bound by even more complex interests, be any different?

“Team Leader Kim Dong Shik! A total of 70 personnel have been arrested, and there are no fatalities.”

“Good work. The Minister said to treat them as villains and directly transfer them to the interrogation room at the headquarters.”

“We will closely cooperate with the nearby military units and immediately proceed with the transfer operation.”

The man who reported to Team Leader Kim bowed his head and quickly withdrew.

After confirming his retreat, Team Leader Kim let out a deep sigh and said,

“It’s truly regrettable that Shi Yu-nim had to personally get involved in such matters. I apologize. If we had done our job well, this wouldn’t have…”

“I’ve already heard plenty about the situation at the Ministry of Ability Management from Minister Yoo Seon-ho, so it’s alright. And it feels refreshing to have done some outdoor exercise in the moonlight for a change.”

The situation where I came to fetch the first prophet and ended up capturing a big shot, Echidna’s contractor.

I’m also gaining quite a bit from this.

“As soon as dawn breaks, we will mobilize all available personnel and begin a large-scale investigation. This is a matter that has been urgently reported to the Minister and received his approval, so we will do our best to ensure there are no disappointments.”

According to Team Leader Kim’s following explanation, there is a high possibility that it reaches not only the local police but also major guilds and even the political sphere.

I think so too.

No matter how much the world has changed, they were essentially refining drugs using humans as ingredients, so there’s no way they could have done this alone.

This is naturally just the tip of the iceberg.

The main body will still be hidden beneath the surface.

If we dig deeper, numerous problems will reveal themselves, but that’s not my job to pursue.

That’s something that Minister Yoo Seon-ho and the Ministry of Ability Management should resolve, not something for me and the Limen Church, who need to expand our influence in Korea, to take on.

“I’ll let you know in advance, but I’d like to avoid getting involved in political matters as much as possible. You know? Religious people, they quickly disappear if they do that.”

Politics is for politicians to handle.

Besides, I trust Minister Yoo Seon-ho and the Ability Management Department to a certain extent.

Right now, I’m already busy worrying about mana myself.

“As much as possible… So you’re leaving the room.”

“Who knows? I might suddenly change my mind, throw off my priest robes, and wreak havoc.”

“…Just hearing that makes my hair roots tingle. Ah, and there’s one thing I’d like to ask.”

I nodded while taking a sip of water at his question.

Then Team Leader Kim looked at the scorch marks in the corner of the secret room and said,

“It’s quite regrettable that you burned all the drugs called the Elixir of Awakening.”

“Why?”

“The more evidence, the better. And to treat drug addicts, we need as many samples as possible…”

“That’s because Team Leader Kim doesn’t know yet how tenacious Magi is.”

Magi constantly makes those around it captivated by endless desires.

That’s because mana is an energy that is in contact with the desires of mortals.

Even in Eden, only mages, knights, or priests who had surpassed a certain level could handle Magi.

For someone who is not prepared to come into contact with Magi, it is essentially no different from selling their soul to a demon.

“I’ll make time separately later to inform you about Magi. Right now, there’s too much to explain… Let’s do it together where Minister Yoo Seon-ho is.”

“Understood.”

“But didn’t I intentionally leave behind enough to be used as evidence?”

There were a total of 30 bottles of the Elixir of Awakening in one box, and I had already purified those elixirs with holy power earlier.

Of course, in the process, the ability to turn ordinary people into players was naturally lost, but at least it won’t be dangerous.

Of course, I did separately keep 5 of those 30 bottles in an unpurified state.

Our church also needs to study how it was made on our own.

Anyway,

Team Leader Kim, guessing the meaning behind my words, did not ask further about it.

Instead, he looked around again and changed the subject.

“Leo-nim came together earlier, but where did Leo-nim go?”

“I ordered a rocket delivery.”

“Rocket delivery?”

“He should be entering Seoul city by now.”

I had no intention of handing over Echidna’s contractor to the Ability Management Department.

There were parts we had to investigate on our own.

So I told Leo to take Echidna’s contractor and return to the temple first.

Means of transportation?

Of course, he’s running like a dog.

“There might be an article about a sighting of a mysterious creature tomorrow morning. Haha!”

“…You don’t have to worry about that part.”

“Why?”

“Because the whole country will be noisy with the story about this Yeonbaek Guild anyway.”

Indeed.

In a situation where a political scandal of historic proportions might explode, who would pay attention to a bipedal mysterious creature that appeared in the middle of the night?

I lightly nodded at Team Leader Kim’s words.

“Alright. Then I’ll head back to the hospital. What about you, Team Leader Kim?”

“I think I need to stay at the scene. It’s a matter that the Minister personally gave orders for… Ah, and patient Jin Seo-jun has currently been moved to the VIP room, so just follow the staff’s guidance.”

No matter how I think about it, they’re meticulously taking care of these details. This is why I can’t help but like Team Leader Kim.

Well, now that the situation is roughly sorted out, let’s go meet our first prophet-nim again.

Upon arriving at the hospital, I immediately headed to the VIP room where Jin Seo-jun was said to be.

Knock, knock, knock.

When I knocked on the door, there was a sound of movement inside, and soon someone carefully opened the door.

“Your Holiness?”

“You can comfortably call me hyung.”

I didn’t allow it for Jaemin who I inducted last time, but for our precious prospective saint-nim, I can allow any comfortable form of address.

However, commendably, Seung-woo shook his head and replied,

“I can’t do that to the benefactor who saved me and my dad.”

“Is that so? Then who taught you to call me Your Holiness?”

“Archbishop Leo-nim told me.”

He’s a sharp kid despite being the same age as Si-yeon.

Until just earlier, his expression looked like he was about to die, but seeing him smile makes me feel good.

That’s probably because,

“Seung-woo?”

“Dad! Your Holiness has come.”

Jin Seo-jun, Seung-woo’s father, has regained consciousness.

Seung-woo held my hand and led me to the hospital bed, and I followed him with a smile.

On the bed, Jin Seo-jun, wearing a hospital gown, was looking at me with his upper body raised.

As soon as he saw me, he tried to get out of bed, and I quickly approached and stopped him, saying,

“Your body is still unwell, so please stay comfortable.”

“No. I heard you saved my life. I can’t be rude to someone like that.”

“Then let’s just have you raise your body like now. I’m really uncomfortable.”

“…Alright.”

At my words, Jin Seo-jun reluctantly nodded.

And I sat comfortably on the sofa placed next to the bed and continued.

“You won’t have to be chased by those guys from the Yeonbaek Guild or whatever anymore.”

“Is that true?”

“Of course. I completely evaporated…”

I was about to continue speaking unrestrained when I saw Seung-woo looking at me with round eyes.

…Hmm, I need to clean up my words a bit.

“I neatly took care of it and came back, so you don’t have to worry.”

“The amount I still haven’t paid back to them is considerable…”

“Ah, you don’t need to worry about that either.”

There’s no one left to pay back debts to anymore.

Even if there were debts left elsewhere, I was planning to pay them all off.

Regardless of whether Seung-woo joined our church or not, I felt a sense of responsibility for the misfortune that befell Seung-woo’s family.

The fact that Seung-woo got sick with an unknown illness, the fact that Seung-woo’s mother died at a gate 2 years ago.

And the fact that Seung-woo’s father got involved with nasty guys.

It’s not a word I particularly like, but that was probably Seung-woo’s given fate.

On that day 5 years ago, when the fate of the entire Earth was twisted, the fate of this cute and small boy must have also been twisted.

That’s why I can’t help but feel responsible.

I smiled bitterly and then spoke with a greatly composed voice.

“It’s late, so I’ll quickly state my business and leave.”

“Please speak comfortably. I’m listening.”

“I’d like to take your son to our church.”

Upon hearing my words, Jin Seo-jun smiled softly.

And he soon nodded while stroking his son’s head.

“I see. Son? What do you think?”

“I’d like that too. Both Your Holiness and Archbishop-nim are really good people!”

“Yes, if our son likes it, dad likes it too.”

As if he had made a decision, Jin Seo-jun smiled faintly and nodded.

“Please take good care of my son. It will surely be a much better environment than being by my side.”

“Dad? You’re not coming together?”

“Seung-woo. So this is…”

There seems to be some misunderstanding.

I need to quickly provide additional explanations.

“I’m sorry to interrupt, but our church is not heartless enough to forcibly separate a father and son.”

“…Then?”

“Of course, Jin Seo-jun should come together. Where are you trying to go, leaving behind such a cute son?”

This time, Jin Seo-jun’s eyes widened.

He didn’t seem to expect this development.

“Together?”

“I’d like Jin Seo-jun to help manage our Limen Church’s Seoul temple. Ah, I was so eager that I didn’t mention the most important thing.”

I took a short breath and then presented the secret card I had prepared in advance.

“You’ll work 4 days a week, and the annual salary will be set at the level of an A-grade hunter in a major guild. Also, the church will prepare a house where you can live together with your son, and we promise various other benefits.”

This was the least I could do to repay him.

And in response to my offer, Jin Seo-jun asked with an expression of incomprehension.

“What is the reason for doing so much for me?”

To that, I answered with a smile.

“Because you’re a great father.”

“You mean… me?”

“Of course. Right, Seung-woo?”

“That’s right. My dad is the greatest person in the world!”

Just because someone has the fate of a prophet doesn’t mean they can all become prophets.

The fate given to them is only realized after taking refuge in God’s embrace.

As Limen said last time, countless prophets have perished before taking refuge in God’s embrace.

Perhaps Seung-woo, too, might have followed in their footsteps if it weren’t for his father’s sacrifice and devotion.

“If dad doesn’t go, I won’t go either.”

“You heard him. How could you really not come together?”

At my playful words, Jin Seo-jun laughed with tears in his eyes.

And he shook his head and replied,

“How could I do that?”

[You have completed the sub-quest !]

[You have acquired the church trait as a reward!]

[3,000 holy points have been accumulated as a reward!]

Small salvation.

At first, I didn’t quite understand, but after completing it, I think it’s a rather fitting title.

[The first prophet joins your church.]

I quietly closed those message windows.

And I couldn’t help but smile delightfully for a long time, looking at the father and son hugging each other in front of me.

Thinking that this is quite a good ending and beginning.